Become a Cosmetologist | Cosmetology Schools Mercer Island WA

How to Find the Right Cosmetology School near Mercer Island Washington

nail technicians training at Mercer Island WA beauty school Since you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Mercer Island WA, the process begins to find and enroll in the right school. It’s essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you might be rather puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit more regarding that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your Mercer Island home. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when reviewing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it’s not always the best option. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

Mercer Island WA makeup ar4tist applying makeup Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human body look more attractive through the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are referred to as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but really a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you go through some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once you are licensed, the work settings include not only Mercer Island WA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Estheticians
Electrolysis Technicians

As already stated, in the majority of states working cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those offering more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees

Mercer Island WA hairdresser cutting hair There are primarily two avenues offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs generally call for 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you wish to specialize in just one area, for example hair coloring. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to run a salon or other Mercer Island WA business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s certified by the Washington Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the next section.

Online Cosmetology Programs

student attending cosmetology school online in Mercer Island WA Online beauty classes are convenient for Mercer Island WA students who are working full-time and have family commitments that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs offered that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many courses are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a substantial portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the training program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology industry. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Beauty Training Courses

Questions to ask Mercer Island WA beauty schools Below is a list of questions that you will want to investigate for any cosmetologist training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Mercer Island WA residence, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the cosmetology training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which typically are not available in 98040 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Mercer Island WA employers will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Any cosmetology college that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Mercer Island WA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Washington school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to launch a hair salon in Mercer Island WA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and mastering cosmetology techniques and abilities involves plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty school offers little or no scheduled live training, but instead depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology program, it’s imperative that she or he receives aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develope relationships with Mercer Island WA businesses that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all beauty schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school fulfills each of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option before you learn what financial help may be available.

Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Mercer Island WA?

If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Mercer Island WA area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.

Mercer Island, Washington

Mercer Island is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located on an island of the same name in the southern portion of Lake Washington. Mercer Island is in the Seattle Metropolitan Area,[5] with Seattle located to its west and Bellevue located to its east.

Mercer Island is connected to the mainland on both sides by bridges carrying Interstate 90. The Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge and the parallel Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge are floating bridges that span Lake Washington and carry, respectively, eastbound and westbound lanes of Interstate 90 and connect Mercer Island to the northern portion of Seattle's South End (more specifically, I-90 has Leschi to the north and Mount Baker to the south). I-90 traverses the northern portion of Mercer Island and is then carried from the island to Bellevue over the East Channel of Lake Washington by the East Channel Bridge. Mercer Island is located closer to Bellevue than it is to Seattle, and is therefore often considered to be part of the King County's Eastside.

The population was 25,261 in a 2017 census estimate. Mercer Island is the most populated island in a lake within the United States.[6][better source needed] The ZIP code 98040 is unique to Mercer Island.[7] Mercer Island has the fifth highest per-capita income in the state of Washington and is one of the 100 richest ZIP codes in the USA according to the IRS figures for Adjusted Gross Income.[8]

Choose the Right Cosmetologist Vocational School near Mercer Island WA

Mercer Island WA barber blow drying client's hair Picking and enrolling in the right beauty school is important to get the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the school and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and address the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional cosmetologist in Mercer Island WA.